Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena will go to China, his nation's largest bilateral lender, subsequent week, Beijing's overseas ministry stated on Friday.
“On the invitation of Prime Minister Li Qiang of the State Council, Prime Minister… of Sri Lanka Dinesh Gunawardena can pay an official go to to China from March 25 to 30,” Overseas Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated in an announcement.
Beijing accounts for about 10 % of the island's whole overseas debt.
Sri Lanka defaulted on its $46 billion overseas debt in April 2022 after the nation ran out of overseas alternate to finance even important imports akin to meals, gas and medicines.
The nation secured a $2.9 billion bailout from the Worldwide Financial Fund (IMF) final yr, with this system conditional on a debt deal satisfying overseas collectors.
The IMF stated this week it had reached a staff-level settlement with Colombo to pave the best way for the discharge of $337 million, the third tranche of the four-year rescue package deal.
Nevertheless it stated the “vital” subsequent steps have been finalizing agreements with collectors.
Beijing stated on Friday that Gunawardena would meet Chinese language chief Xi Jinping throughout his go to for “an in-depth alternate of views on persevering with the normal friendship between China and Sri Lanka”.
“China attaches nice significance to the event of China-Sri Lanka relations,” Overseas Ministry spokesman Lin stated.
It could additionally search to “collectively construct the Belt and Street with prime quality, increase exchanges and cooperation in varied fields,” he added, a reference to an enormous infrastructure mission that could be a central pillar of President Xi's bid to increase China's affect overseas.
China additionally introduced on Friday that the overseas minister of Nepal, one other South Asian nation with shut ties to Beijing, would go to.
“Narayan Kaji Shrestha can pay an official go to to China from March 25 to April 1,” Lin stated.
